Some Pointers for Writing Short Answers in Psychology

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Writing tiny-looking short notes appears to be an easy task. But in reality, when it comes  to a subject like psychology in which abundant information is available, condensing that information into a precise and relevant answer is a confusing task. Let's take a look at how an answer can be made as informative as possible in a mere 100 words:

Q. Describe the role of the hippocampus in memory.

Ans. The hippocampus, located in the medial temporal lobe of the brain plays a key role in the consolidation of memory. The case study of H.M. by Dr. Milner showed that only bilateral damage to the hippocampus results in a severe loss of memory suggesting that hippocampi in both hemispheres co-ordinate for keeping long-term memories intact. The later case study of R.B. demonstrated that specific damage to the CA1 pyramidal cells in both hippocampi results in anterograde amnesia. Further research lesioning the brains of monkeys showed that the hippocampus interacts with its equally important surrounding regions, the perihinal and parahippocampal cortices, for consolidating new long-term memories. Recent research shows that the hippocampus is also activated when explicit retrieval of recently learnt information is attempted.

A few pointers to be kept in mind while writing short notes include:

• Get to the point immediately;

• Factually reproduce information;

• Avoid explanations and when absolutely needed, provide them in a few words;

• Avoid providing illustrations;

• Present a comprehensive answer with the most important information rather than adopting a narrow focus

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